Structure and functional properties of ulvan, a polysaccharide from green seaweeds

Biomacromolecules. 2007 Jun;8(6):1765-74. doi: 10.1021/bm061185q. Epub 2007 Apr 26.

Abstract

With today's interest in novel renewable chemicals and polymers, the underexploited marine green algae belonging to species of Ulva and Entermorpha stimulated interest as sources of polysaccharides with innovative structure and functional properties. These algae are common on all seashores and can produce in time an important amount of biomass in nutrient-enriched waters. The major water-soluble polysaccharide, ulvan, extracted from the cell wall represents about 8-29% of the algae dry weight. The original physicochemical, rheological, and biological properties recently unraveled for this complex sulfated aldobiouronan open the way for novel potential applications.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology*
  • Carbohydrate Conformation
  • Chlorophyta / metabolism
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Iduronic Acid / chemistry
  • Ions
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Models, Chemical
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Polysaccharide-Lyases / chemistry*
  • Polysaccharide-Lyases / pharmacology*
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry*
  • Seaweed / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Ions
  • Plant Extracts
  • Polysaccharides
  • Iduronic Acid
  • Polysaccharide-Lyases
  • ulvan-lyase